Car or table transfer means



May 10, 1932. J. DRAKE 1,857,840

CAR OR TABLE TRANSFER MEANS Filed June 18, 1931 5 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR n L. Dru/(e ATTORNEY May 10, 1932; L, DRAKE 1,857,840

CAR OR TABLE TRAN$FER MEANS Filed June 18,1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Jbhn L.Dral(e ATTORNEY y 1932- J. DRAKE I 1,857,840

CAR OR TABLE TRANSFER MEANS Filed June 18, 1951 s Sheets-Sheet 5 lNVENTOR Fl MW- ATTORN EY Patented May 10, 1932 UNITED s1 TATES PATENT orrrce JOHN L. DRAKE, on TOLEDO, OHIO, Assrelvon'ro LIBBEY OWENSJORD GLASS 'COM- PANY, F TOLEDO, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF'OHIO i oARORTABLnrRANsrER MEANS Application filed June 18,

This invention relates to the grinding and polishing of'sheet or plateglass or other flat sheets orplates to be surfaced, and more es pecially to an apparatus for this purpose of '5 the sO-called continuous type.

Various systems for the continuous grindingrand polishing of plate glass have heretofore been proposed and in practically all of such systems there have been provided a series of car-s ortables mounted upon'wheels and adapted to be rolled along tracks in a continuous trainfirst under a series of grind- .ing units and-then undera series of polishing units.

In the particular arrangement to which the present invention is applied, threes'ubstantially parallel tracks are employed, the two outside tracksbeing working tracks for carirying the work cars ortables beneath a series "of grinding and polishing runners and the single central track constituting the return track for bringingithe cars or tables back to their starting positionion the working tracks.

The primary object of the present inven- 't-ion is the provision of improved means for "fa cilitating the handling ofthe carsor tables and-more particularly'for eife etingthe transfer of said tables from the working tracksto the return track or vice'versa ina rapid and efficient manner. I

Another object of the invention isthe provision-of novel transfer meansof the above character which'isof a simplified form and wherein the transfer-of the tables from one track to another track maybe readily and :convenien'tly' effected with rapidity and ease of operation.

A further 01)]8Ci? of the invention lsthe pro- Evision of novel transfer means of the above charact er including a plurality of transfer cars or tables located atone or both ends of the tracks, the return trackibeing disposed at a relatively lower level than the working tracks, andthe transfer cars at each end' of said tracks being counterbalanced in such a manner that'aminimum amount of power is required for effecting the movement thereof between the three tracks. p

Other objects and advantages ,of'the invention willbecome more apparent during the ent invention,

1931. Serial no. 545,354. 7

course of the following description when taken connection with the accompanying drawings. p I

In the drawings formingapart Ofthisapplication and wherein like numerals are em- .ployedato. designate like parts throughout the same, I t

Fig. 1 illustrates diagrammatically-aplan view of transfer means provided by thepres- Fig: 2 is an end elevation thereof,

Fig. 3, is a section taken substantially on line 33 of Fig. 2, and I Fig. 4 is a section taken substantially on line 44 of Fig.1. f o

The system disclosed .in the drawingsincludes the three substantiallyparallel tracks 5, 6 and 7, the two outsidetracksfi and '6 constituting the working tracks and the single central track 7 constituting the return track. These tracks arexadapted-to carry aseriesof work cars Ont-ables 8 upon the upper surfaces of whichare positioned the glasssheets to be ground and polished, said tables beingsupported upon'wheels 9 which roll along the said tracks.

In practice, the glasssheets to bersurfaced are adapted to be secured upon thecars 8 at one end of working tracks 5 and 6:ai1d.are thencarriedv along these-tracks first beneath a series of grinding runners .and then 'be- When the tables, reach the opposite ends of the working tracks 5 .and 6, the glass sheets are removed therefrom and thesaid cars are uncoupled andtransferred to theret-urntrack 7 along which they areimoved to the starting end oftheworkingtracks. I $9 The present invention .contemplatesythe provision of improved transfer meansbetween the tracks 5, 6 and 7 at one or both ends thereof for transferring the cars from the workingtracksto the return trackor vice versa' As, illustrated in the drawings, the working tracks 5 and 6 are arrangedin horizontal alignment with one another while the return track 7 is disposed at a relatively lower fleveland also on a different plane 1 mum amount of power.

14 and 15 are the transfer cars 16 and 17 respectively, each being supported upon wheels 18 engaging the said tracks. The transfer cars are so constructed that the upper surfaces thereof will'at all times maintain a horizontal position during their movement along the inclined tracks 14 and 15. The transfer cars16 and 17 carry track sections 19 and 20 respectively which are adapted upon movement of the said cars to line up with the working tracks and return track.

The transfer cars 16 and 17 are preferably connected together in such a manner that they counter-balance one another, said'connection including a pair of chains 21 and 22 which are attached at one end to the transfer car 16'as at 23 and at the opposite end to the car 17 as at 24. The said chains 21 and 22 are each trained about four sprockets 25, 26, '27 and 28 mounted upon shafts 29, 30, 31

and 32 respectively. One of these shafts, and as here'shown shaft 30, is preferably positively driven such as from a motor 33 driving through suitable speed reduction gearing located in casing 34, a shaft 35 to which is keyed bevel gear 36 meshing with a corresponding bevel gear 37 fixed to shaft 30. The chains 21'and 22 are of such a length that when one transfer car is in position opposite one of the working tracks, the other car will be in position opposite the return track as illustrated in Fig. 2. By counterbalancing the transfer cars 16 and 17, it will be readily apparent that they can be moved alongthe inclined tracks 14 and 15 easily and conveniently and with the expenditure of amini- Moreover, the above-described means for shifting the transfer cars between the several tracks 5, .6 and 7 isof' a simplified form and involves no complicated' or expensive mechanism which 18 very apt to frequently get out of order, such as has been ordinarily employed in the past.

The means for moving the work tables 8 from the working tracks 5 and 6 onto'tl1e transfer cars 16 and 17 comprises an endless drag chain 38 positioned between the rails of each of said tracks. Each drag chain comprises a plurality of pivotally associated links 39 connected together by shafts 40 in end- !less formation, shafts also carrying rollers 41 whichare supported during. the upper horizontal run of the chain upon rails 42.

The drag chain passes around a pair of sprockets 43 at the ends of the rails 42 and carries one or more dogs 44 which engage the rear ends of the tables and move the same forwardly from the working tracks onto the track sections 19 or 20 of the transfer cars 16 or 17 respectively.

The means herein provided for moving the work tables 8 from the transfer cars 16 and 17 onto the return track 7 consists of an overhead pusher arrangement 45 comprising an endless chain 46 trained about sprockets 47 and 48 which are carried upon shafts 49 and 50 respectively journaled in brackets 51 and 52mounted upon the horizontal supporting beams 53. Also carried by the endless chain 46 are a pair of spring actuated plungers 54 constituting the pusher members which are adapted to engage the rear of the tables and effect movement thereof forwardly from the transfer cars onto the return track.

In carrying the present invention into practice, the transfer car 16 at one end of the system is adapted to receive the work tables 8 from working track 5 and deliver them to the return track 7, while the transfer car 17 is provided to receive the cars from working track 6 and deliver them to return track 7. At the opposite end of the system, the transfer cars 16 and 17 will receive the work tables from the return track 7 and shift them into position opposite the working tracks 5 and 6 respectively. When the transfer car 17 is in a position to receive a work table from track 6,

the transfer car 16 is in a position to deliver one of the work tables previously received from working track 5 onto return track 7. As shown in Figs. 1 andv2, one of the tables 8 is being moved ontothe transfer car 17 while, at

the same time, a table is being delivered from car 16 onto return track 7. The work table 8 is being moved onto transfer car 17 by means of the endless drag chain 38 and simultaneously the overhead pusher arrangement 45 is being operated to propel the table from the transfer car 16 onto the return track 7. After the'table 8 is on car 17 and the table removed from car 16, the motor 33 is placed in operation to rotate the sprockets 25 to 28 in a clockwise direction, whereupon the empty transfer car 16 will be pulled upwardly along the inclined track 14 to a position in alignment with working track 5 while, at the same time, car17 will be moved downwardly along inclined track 15 into the pit 11 and into registry with the return track 7. When the position of the transfer cars is thus reversed, a

table can be delivered from track 5 onto car 16 and simultaneously the table on car 17 can be moved onto the return track.

It is to be understood that the form of the invention herewith shown anddescribed is to be taken as the preferred embodiment of the same, and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts maybe resorted to without departing from the spirit ofthe invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

I claim:

1. The combination with a plurality of substantially parallel tracks, and a series of work tables movable along the same, of a plurality of transfer cars provided at one end of said tracks and by means of which the said tables may be transferred from one track to a second track, said transfer cars being counter-balanced and each being movable between two of said tracks.

2. The combination with a plurality of substantially parallel tracks, and a series of work tables movable along the same, of a pair of transfer cars provided at one end of said tracks and by means of which the said tables may be transferred from one track to a second track, and means for connecting said transfer cars together so that they counter-balance one another, with each car being movable between two of said tracks.

3. The combination with three substantially parallel main tracks, and a series of work tables movable along the same, of a pair of tracks arranged transversely of the first-mentioned tracks at one end thereof, each transverse track extending between the center main track and one outside main track, and transfer cars movable along said transverse tracks and by means of which the said tables may be transferred from one main track to a second main track.

4. The combination with three substantially parallel main tracks, and a series of work tables movable along the same, of a pair of tracks arranged transversely of the first-mentioned tracks at one end thereof, each transverse track extending between the center main track and one outside main track, and transfer cars movable along said transverse tracks and by means of which the said tables may be transferred from one main track to a second main track, said transfer cars being counter-balanced and each being movable between two of said parallel tracks.

5. The combination with three substantially parallel main tracks, and a series of work tables movable along the same, of a pair of tracks arranged transversely of the first-mentioned tracks at one end thereof, each transverse track extending between the center main track and one outside main track, a pair of transfer cars movable along said transverse tracks and by means ofwhich the said tables may be transferred from one main track to a second main track, and means for connecting said transfer cars together so that they counter-balance one another, with each car being movable between two of said parallel tracks.

6. The combination with three substantially parallel main tracks, and a series of work tables movable along the same, the center track being disposed beneath the level of the two outside tracks, of a pair of tracks arranged transversely of the first-mentioned tracks at one end thereof, each transverse track inclining upwardly from the center main track to one outside main track, and transfer cars movable along said transverse tracks and by means of which the said tables maybe transferred from the center main track to one outside main track or vice versa. 7. The combination with three substantially parallel main tracks, and a series of work tables movable along the same, the center track being disposed beneath the level of the two outside tracks, of a pair of tracks arranged transversely of the first-mentioned tracks at one end thereof, each transverse track inclining upwardly from the center main track to one outside main track, and transfer cars movable along said transverse tracks and by means of which the said tables may be transferred from the center main track to one outside main track or vice versa, said transfer cars being counter-balanced.

8. The combination with three substantially parallel main tracks, and a series of work tables movable along the same, the center track being disposed beneath the level of the two outside tracks, of a pair of tracks arranged transversely of the first-mentioned tracks at one end thereof, each transverse track inclining upwardly from the center main track to one outside main track, a pair of transfer cars movable along said transverse tracks and by means of which the said JOHN L. DRAKE. 

